Weight

Eyes

Hair

Unusual Features

As Otto Octavius: myopia (necessitates the use of prescription eyeglasses);[12]As Peter Parker: small hairs on his hands and feet that allow him to adhere to walls and most surfaces

Origin

Origin

Humanmutate[13];Otto Octavius created mechanical tentacles to aid him with his nuclear work. After a lab explosion left him hospitalized, Otto awoke to find himself able to telepathically control them, Otto realized that with his new ability, and his already great intellect, he could be the best there is.

Contents

History

I didn't really comprehend what I was in for. I was arrogant... No. It's more than that. We've both been in each other's heads. We know the truth. I'm arrogant, yes, but it's because I know... Underneath it... That I'm not the best. I'm flawed. So I overcompensate. But you... You're guilt-ridden because, deep down, you know you are smarter than others. Better. But it came at a painful price. So you sabotage yourself. That won't happen today. You said it yourself. When lives are at stake, you don't hesitate. Today, you will own up to it. Today you must accept that you... Are superior. The superior hero. That is what we all need. That, and nothing less.

Early life

Doctor Octopus: Year One

Born in Schenectady, New York, to a lower-class family, only child Otto Octavius was to be raised by his overbearing mother and his abusive father. During his youth, Otto would often receive beatings at home, or school. His father would roar at Otto to use violence when dealing with bullies whilst his mother, on the other hand, always put Otto off using violence. Sometimes Otto's father would beat him during rages, earning Otto's hatred.[14]

He was accepted into M.I.T. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). Later, his father was killed in a construction accident during Otto's first year of college, his mother used her husband's early death to manipulate Otto into studying more. Otto's hard work paid off when he graduated at the top of his class and became a researcher at the Atomic research a reclusive in school.[14]

Atomic Research

Now an adult, Otto Octavius managed to get a job at the U.S. Atomic Research Center. To help manipulate radioactive substances from a safe distance, Otto constructed a chest harness controlling four mechanical, tentacle-like arms - earning him the nickname Doctor Octopus. At work, had fallen in love with a fellow researcher, Mary Anders, but when Otto pronounced his intentions to marry her, his mother was against it, saying nobody was good enough for her son, causing him to break off his engagement. When Otto discovered his mother dating behind his back, he blew up in rage at her. During the argument, Mary died of a heart attack, leaving Otto without a mother and with bitter feelings.[15][16]

Doctor Octopus

Doctor Octopus

Consumed with guilt, Otto couldn't fully focus during work, and volatile liquids exploded - bombarding the scientist with radiation. The substances left him capable of mentally controlling the arms, but the accident also caused irreversible brain damage - transforming the respected scientist into a megalomaniacal superhuman criminal.[17][18]

Meeting Spider-Man

Waking in a hospital, Otto knew this new found strength - combined with his awesome intellect - could render him supremely powerful. Holding the medical staff hostage, Otto forced them to gather lab equipment for him to continue his work. But Spider-Man showed up. Doctor Octopus easily defeated Spider-Man. Doc Ock then took control of a leading nuclear research facility and again squared off with the wall-crawler, who this time defeated him with one punch to the jaw.[17][19]

Criminal career

After serving time, Doc Ock attempted to raise funds by springing gangster Blackie Gaxton from a Philadelphia prison - assisted by Gaxton's lawyer, Bennett Brant. Spider-Man foiled the scheme, but could not save Bennett from being shot in front of his sister, Betty Brant. After escaping from Spider-Man during a scuffle on a getaway boat meant for Gaxton, Octopus travelled throughout the country, committing some of the most spectacular crimes in an attempt to bring Spider-man to confront him. When that failed, Octopus returned to New York, where he hoped to find Spider-Man.[20]

After kidnapping Betty Brant, whom Octopus knew Spider-Man had risked his life saving before, he fought Spider-Man on Coney Island, who was suffering from a severe virus attack, and easily defeated and unmasked him as Peter Parker. Falsely realizing that the weak Peter Parker could not be Spider-Man, Octopus left and went on a rampage, releasing zoo animals and finally confronting the "real" Spider-Man, and was defeated when he was trapped in a burning building.[21]

After being imprisoned yet again, a team of specialists found a way to remove his harness. Now believed by the prison to be normal again and without power, they placed his tentacles in another part of the facility. It was at this time that Octopus showed that he had mental control over his arms, even when separated from him over short distances. Using this to his advantage, he summoned his tentacles to return to him and escaped from prison.[5]

Sinister Six

He then deduced that to defeat Spider-Man, he could not do it alone. He decided to bring together a team of villains to destroy Spider-Man, and thus assembled the first Sinister Six to combat Spider-Man. He plotted to kidnap Betty Brant again and make her their hostage. However, Betty was visiting with May Parker at the time, who was also captured and taken hostage. Dr. Octopus treated May so kindly, though, that she remained blissfully unaware she had been kidnapped by the charming villain.[5][22]

Doctor Octopus Vs. Spider-Man

Master Planner

Following Spider-Man's defeat of the Sinister Six, Octopus assembled another group of costumed underlings and established an undersea base. Calling himself the Master Planner, he embarked on a series of thefts of experimental substances - seeking to further expand his mastery of the atomic sciences. His goal: to develop a radiation ray with which he could rule the world. But his plan was fated to entwine with Spider-Man's: when May fell sick, Peter provided her with a blood transfusion - not realizing the radioactivity in his plasma would kill her.[23]

The only substance capable of saving her was the experimental ISO-36. Peter managed to obtain enough money to fund the operation, but the Master Planner's forces hijacked the shipment for their own deadly research. Spider-Man tracked down the Master Planner to his underwater hideout and confronted his foe, revealed to be Doc Ock. After the base was destroyed, Doctor Octopus escaped once more. Spider-Man recovered the ISO-36 and saved Aunt May's life with the aid of Dr. Curt Connors (the Lizard).[4]

Doctor Octopus' next scheme involved the theft of the Nullifier, a projector that could disable any device. After two failed attempts, Otto finally succeeded on his third. Turning the Nullifier against Spider-Man, he caused the wall-crawler to lose his memory and told him that they were allies. He then enlisted Spider-Man's help to steal the remaining components for the device.[24] Though Spider-Man had not regained his memory, his instinctive spider-sense persuaded him not to trust Doc Ock, and Otto was defeated once more.[25][26][27]

First Blood

Now imprisoned, with his arms confiscated, Otto again demonstrated that the range of his psionic control over the tentacles had increased to a far greater distance than previously believed.[28] The arms freed him from captivity; after hijacking a plane and exploding it, Doc Ock, believed to be dead, decided to rampage through the city, bringing attention to himself from Spider-Man.[29] In the ensuing battle between the two, Doc Ock accidentally knocked over a chimney, which killed George Stacy (the father of Gwen Stacy, the first true love of Spider-Man), who was preventing a child from being crushed by the chimney.[30]

Marriage

Free again, Doc Ock seized upon the Kingpin's absence to gather his forces and launch an all-out gang war against Hammerhead's thugs.[31] But Spider-Man's involvement quickly resulted in Doc Ock's return to prison.[32] While incarcerated, Doctor Octopus learned May Parker had inherited a small Canadian island containing a commercial nuclear reactor. On his release, he set out to woo and marry May. But Hammerhead interrupted the wedding, and the ensuing chase and brawl led to the destruction of the reactor.[33]

Octopus survived the explosion and ended up living as a derelict in the Bowery, being haunted by the ghost of Hammerhead.[34][35][36] He sought out May Parker who took him back in even though he had left her stranded at the altar, leading him to kidnap her when he was attacked by Hammerhead.[37] He constructed a device to destroy the host, which instead brought Hammerhead back to life,[38] who kidnapped Aunt May. Octopus and Spider-Man briefly teamed up to rescue her.[39]

Doc later tried to hijack an atomic powered submarine.[40] He also attempted to poison New York with printers' ink, and fought the Punisher and Spider-Man.[41] Doc next battled the Owl and his gang.[42][43] He successfully deactivated a nuclear reactor before a meltdown.[44]Mr. Fantastic diagnosed Doc Ock as suffering from multiple personality disorder.[45]

Arachnophobia

When Doc Ock went to war with the Owl, Spider-Man and the Black Cat attempted to intervene. Devastated that the confrontation had left the Black Cat near death, a cold-hearted Peter said farewell to his friends before entering what he believed to be his final showdown with Doctor Octopus. Spider-Man's victory was remorseless, and Doc Ock developed a morbid fear of his arachnid foe. Imprisoned in a mental institution, Otto struggled with his overwhelming phobia of Spider-Man. Knowing he could not face his foe directly, Ock's next plan involved the use of biological weapons to kill the entire population of New York. Spider-Man was forced to fake a humiliating defeat lest the city be destroyed, restoring Otto's self-confidence.[48]

Return of the Sinister Six

Dr. Octopus recruits Electro and Sandman for the New Sinister Six.[49] His next recruits were Hobgoblin and Mysterio.[50] His final recruit was the Vulture.[51] Doc Ock with his new Sinister Six planned to take over the world and destroy Spider-Man.[52] After trying to gas Spider-Man,[53] Spider-Man defeated the villains.[54]

Savior of Spider-Man

Learning his once-to-be-fiancée Mary Alice was dying from AIDS, Otto began a desperate search for a cure - stealing research materials to do so. His attempts failed, Mary Alice died, and the villain meekly surrendered to Spider-Man.[55] A world-weary Otto nonetheless escaped from prison. At the time, Spider-Man was dying from a chemical virus. Hoping to one day kill the hero himself, Doc Ock captured and unmasked his foe. Analyzing the virus, Otto offered him a cure. Daring to trust his foe, Peter accepted the mixture and was healed.[56]

Death

Death and Resurrection

Doctor Octopus was murdered by the insane Peter Parker clone named Kaine.[57] Octavius' student Carolyn Trainer took over as Doctor Octopus II, until the original was resurrected by a branch of the mystical ninja cult known as the Hand. Although Octavius had discovered Peter Parker's dual identity shortly prior to his death while curing Parker of a lethal virus created by the Vulture, he lost all knowledge of it upon his resurrection. The reason for this was the memories he gained came from a computer chip provided by his associate Carolyn Trainer with his recorded memories. That recent memory had not been recorded at the time of his death (It is uncertain whether or not Trainer had some ulterior motive for remodelling Octavius' mind).[58]

Octavius attempted to create his own personal assassin in the form of a villainous mutated entity he dubbed "Spider-Woman", and was involved in a plot involving using prosthetic limbs as mind-control devices, to create an army of minions. He also had to deal with another usurper, in the form of an arrogant-yet-brilliant scientist named Carlyle, who created his own version of Octavius' harness and who tried to kill Octavius, whose power he envied.[59]

Octavius resurfaced in the attempt to kidnap a Palestinian ambassador, in hopes of causing chaos for reasons unknown. His plot was thwarted by Spider-Man and his temporary sidekick the Kiwi Kid.[60] Octavius was then taken into Ryker's Island and was drugged and brainwashed to take down the Green Goblin. He interrupted a battle between Spider-Man and the Green Goblin on the Brooklyn Bridge, and the two villains were struck by lightning and fell into the river below. Octopus was dragged out days later with no memories of the event.[61]

Octavius unsuccessfully tries to form and lead another version of the Sinister Six, because Captain America's Secret Avengers managed to defeat the villainous group, although Ock himself eludes authorities. Dr. Octopus is later seen viewing a telecast of Peter Parker revealing himself to be Spider-Man. Ock then goes rampaging throughout the city, in utter disbelief that not only was he beaten numerous times by a teenager, but of the lost opportunity he had when he unmasked Parker. He is again defeated by Spider-Man, who confronts Dr. Octopus unmasked, after two of Peter's students distract Octavius. He is then sent to Baron Zemo's super-villain detention facility and is one of the ex-super villains trying to hunt down the renegade super heroes. Ock abandons the team when he realizes being a part of the Thunderbolts is pointless. However, he was apprehended by S.H.I.E.L.D. and placed into custody.[62]

The decaying Doctor Octopus right after Brand New Day

Brand New Day

After escaping, Doctor Octopus learned that after all his battles and injuries suffered, his body was failing, giving him just some months to live. He modified himself to be mentally connected to his own army of Octobots, and adding four more arms to his harness. His goal then became to use his abilities to take over the utilities of New York City, and turn it into a paradise under his control, though his mind's subconscious also targeted Spider-Man, and disrupted the wedding plans of his ex, Aunt May. Spider-Man and the Human Torch eventually track down his base, save the captive Jay Jameson (May's fiancee), Carlie Cooper, and Norah Winters, and finally destroy Doctor Octopus' hold over the city. Doctor Octopus is then able to escape (still holding power over his mini-bots) and vows a "terrible revenge."[63]

After Spider-Man grabs the infant from Doctor Octopus, he sends the villains after Spider-Man. Doctor Octopus talks with Chameleon stating that he had placed an Octo-Tracker on Spider-Man in order to track him down. After Chameleon steals the baby from Spider-Man, Doctor Octopus talks with the Chameleon saying that the baby is the first of a new species. Because the serums inside Norman Osborn and Lily Hollister co-mingled when they reproduced, the baby is beyond Octopus' procurement. He refers to it as "Sui Generis" and plans on using the new species' DNA to repair his body.

"I'm a doctor": Doc Ock in Origin of the Species

When Spider-Man caught Chameleon, he mentioned that the baby is still alive and that the Lizard stole it from him before it can be handed over to Doctor Octopus. Doctor Octopus was looking for the Lizard when Spider-Man arrived. Spider-Man told Doctor Octopus that they will get the baby back from the Lizard and then fight over who will get it. Spider-Man even mentioned to Doctor Octopus that the Lizard is now in a different appearance. When Doctor Octopus attacks Spider-Man, the Lizard attacks Spider-Man. Spider-Man threatens to attack the Lizard with the Lizard serum if he does not give him the baby. Lizard agrees and reveals that he got a blood sample from the baby and found out that Norman Osborn is not the father. The Lizard then gives the baby to Spider-Man saying that if Osborn is not the father, then the baby is of no use to him. Doctor Octopus then attacks the Lizard while Spider-Man escapes with the baby.

Spider-Man, the Avengers, and the Fantastic Four later fight Doctor Octopus and his macro-octobot army. During that time, he had assembled another version of the Sinister Six consisting of Chameleon (who was posing as Steve Rogers), Electro, Mysterio, Rhino, and Sandman in a plot to slip the macro-octobot army into a military base and detonate them. This was prevented by Spider-Man, the Avengers, and the Fantastic Four. After his defeat, Doctor Octopus acknowledges Spider-Man's intellect and no longer considers him as the 'foolish child' he had believed him to be.[64]

When Alistair Smythe was having Scorpion, Fly-Girl and some cyborgs attack the launch base where John Jameson was, Doctor Octopus was observing the occurrences with a remote Octobot and uses the machine to assist the astronauts on board as part of his heretofore unknown plans.[65]

Ends of the Earth

As his final master plan, Otto Octavius set in motion a set of events, starting with the announcement to offer the world a chance to stop global warming.[66]

Next Dr. Octopus and his Sinister Six planned the theft of the Zero Cannon, (a powerful weapon which changes Earth's gravity field to send specific objects to space), from the group of genius super-villains called Intelligencia. Otto and his group succeeded with Intelligencia down and the Cannon stolen.[67]

Later, while disguised as Vice-President of America, Al Gore, Chameleon tried to accelerate the decision of world's leaders about Otto's earlier request, but was uncovered by Spider-Man, who interrupted the scene along with the Avengers. When the Chameleon was freed, he arrived in the Mediterranean for a meeting with the rest of the team. The Avengers followed them and fought the Sinister Six, but they where all defeated by the villains, save for Electro, who was sent to space by Thor.[68]

Using an explosion as a distraction, Silver Sable saved Spider-Man and Black Widow. When they tried to get to one of Octavius manufacturing plants of satellites, they defeated Sandman, but Octavius asked for help to all nations, due his position in the matter, to capture Spider-Man.[69]

While Spider-Man and his allies continue to disarm Doc Ock's bases, defeating Rhino in the process, they are attacked by S.H.I.E.L.D. forces before they can capture him and are forced to flee. Octavius asked for help of other super villains to watch over his facilities over the world, but even after Spider-Man tracks down the final one, Octavius finally reveals he was going to destroy the world anyways, rather than save it. He activated his Octavian Lens, burning half of the world, including Silver Sable's country, Symkaria. But this is revealed to be a trick made by Mysterio (only burning a small portion of a city in Symkaria), while Chameleon uses a robot to fight Spider-Man, after they are defeated, Mysterio is convinced by Spider-Man to help him to catch Dr. Octopus in his base in Guatemala, but Octavius used the mind-controlled Avengers as his new Sinister Six.[70]

Spider-Man, Sable and Widow managed to defeat the Avengers, then he and Sable headed to Octavius underwater base. They are faced by Rhino while the base starts to flood, he trapped Sable and left Spider-Man with two choices, to continue to fight him in order to save Sable from drowning (but Octavius would activate the lenses) or let him drown himself and Sable but stop Octopus. After leaving Sable to her death at her request, Spidey faced the Doctor in battle, and managed to destroy Octavius' arms and equipment before taking his foe away for medical assistance.[71]

Dying Wish

Using a brain-swapping Octobot, Otto Octavius transplanted his mind into the body of his nemesis Spider-Man. He retained all of Peter's memories, and thus was able to fool all of Peter's family and friends, from Mary Jane and Aunt May to the Avengers. Peter's mind, meanwhile, was placed into Octavius' dying body.[72]

After realizing Peter, in Doc Ock's body, escaped the Raft, Otto decided to keep every person Peter knew in a safe room in the Stark Tower and waited for Doctor Octopus alone there, by distracting the other Avengers with giant Octobots around the globe, knowing that Peter would seek for help to Tony Stark. Both enemies battled until both fell from the Tower into the ground, fatally wounding Peter (Otto's body). When Peter tried to use the brain-swapping Octobot, Otto revealed him that he was using a Carbonadium helmet, making his brain totally inaccessible for changing brains. Otto declared his final victory against Parker by giving him a lethal punch which caused "Doctor Octopus" to give his last breaths.[73]

Both then discovered that the Octobot managed to connect their minds although it could not swap them, and Peter forced Otto to relive his most suffering experiences and memories as Spider-Man, making him realize the responsibility his power came with. Otto told Peter he not wanted this, but they could not change bodies back. Finally, Otto promised Peter to continue his legacy both as Spider-Man and Peter Parker. Later, he not only realized he could become a better Spider-Man, but also a better man than who he once was as Doctor Octopus, to become a superior Spider-Man to Peter Parker.[6]

Superior Spider-Man

After Peter Parker died" Otto Octavius became the new "Superior" Spider-Man. One of his first actions, after upgrading the spider suit with computerized lenses, was to break into an old base which he had established during his time as Doctor Octopus. The base's defenses were coded to his original DNA, which he no longer possessed due to the body swap, and identified him as an intruder. It was during this battle that he had an epiphany that no matter how brilliant he had believed himself to be, Peter Parker had always defeated him. Spider-Man had always thwarted Doc Ock. Destroying his creations, Otto left the base and fully embraced his new role as Spider-Man.[74]

Superior

After defeating the new Sinister Six,[75] and the returned Vulture, with numerous of Peter's friends noticing changes in "Peter"'s behavior, Octavius decided to become more efficient and utilized thousands of Spider-Bots to patrol the city thereby getting to crimes that Peter never could in his life.[76] Otto also enrolled at the Empire State University to get his (Peter's) doctorate.[77] As Peter he met Anna Maria Marconi, who offered to tutor Peter. Otto was initially annoyed that she thought he needed assistance but Anna not only surprised Otto with her intellect, he found himself falling in love with her, feelings mirrored by the young woman.

During his time as Spider-Man, Otto shattered Scorpion's jaw, blinded the Vulture and killed the mass-murderer Massacre.[78] He also performed numerous involuntary acts, like stopping himself from killing Boomerang.[75] When the Avengers decided to examine Spider-Man to find a reason for his change of behavior,[79] they couldn't find anything. Otto attempted to use a neurolotic scanner to determine the source of several spasms his body was experiencing, that Dr. Elias Wirtham, aka Cardiac also needed. After agreeing to help Cardiac in surgery Otto could take the scanner with him. Afraid of his own discovery, Peter Parker almost prevented Otto from completing his surgery on a wounded little girl, which would have major consequences. After obtaining the scanner, Otto spotted a strange anomaly in his brain, and knew what it was: Peter Parker.[80]

Otto figured out that Peter's consciousness was alive in his brain, and to his shock, Otto could now hear Peter inside his mind and decided to put an end to him once and for all.[80] Using a neurolitic scanner Otto started a mind-wipe, and finally managed to wipe Parker after dealing with him directly, by plunging himself into his brain. In the split-second of surgery, the moment Peter was truly selfish, that could give Otto the power to convince Peter of his own superiority, and finally Peter Parker was gone, or so, Otto thought.[81]

Following the expel of Parker, Octavius helped Mayor Jameson assist the execution of Alistair Smythe,[82] and even though Smythe managed to temporarily take over the Raft,[83] Otto managed to defeat his allies, Vulture, Boomerang and Scorpion and kill the villain, secretly taking the Vulture captive himself. During the conflict, Jameson ordered Spider-Man to execute Smythe when he had escaped, using this evidence to blackmail Jameson, Spider-Man forced the Mayor to allow the Raft become his new headquarters renamed "Spider-Island 2". With new foundations in which to build his own legacy, Octavius formed his own group of minions, the Spiderlings, and created giant Spider-Mechs,[84] and being one of Otto's newest measures the destruction of Shadowland.[85] Unknown to him, a new group of organized crime was being built by the hand of a new villain, the Goblin King.[86]

During the period where Otto went missing in Horizon Labs, he was transported to the year 2099 in an alternate universe. Whilst there, he was attacked by the Public Eye, until he was rescued by Gabe O'Hara. Otto then settled into Miguel O'Hara's old flat and programmed an AI in the form of Anna Maria. He decided to return to the present, and to do so by stealing equipment from Stark-Fujikawa and Alchemax (finding it amusing that Stark abided by the law whilst Alchemax sent everyone after him). When he attempted travels back in time, he does so but instead traveled to parallel universes, one with a recently deceased Spider-Man, including one where he found a Spider-Man who was part of the Fantastic Four (now Five), one still reconciling with the Superhero Registration Act, one living in the House of M reality as a famous mutant and another Spider-Man in a black iron clad armored-like suit, are all killed by a being with a unique, exotic energy source. Otto realized that someone was killing each universe's Spider-Man and so traveled to different universes. He eventually traveled to a universe with an Indian Spider-Man who was under attack by the being killing all the different Spider-Men, saving him and escaping back to 2099, revealing that Otto had already recruited several other Spider-Men, including Spider-Monkey, Spider-Man Noir, Six-Armed Spider-Man, and Spider-Girl. He next found and rescued a Spidey who left New York City and joined the Wolverine in Russia, and recruited him to join in fighting back against the being hunting Spider-Men before they both escaped back to 2099.[9]

Over time, Otto would gather an army of Spider-Man across the Multiverse against Karn and other similar hunters. His own team met up with a second Spider-Men team, which included Peter Parker from Earth-616. When informed of the existence of the Spider-Totems by Ezekiel Sims, Otto dismissed the notion of supernatural beings as a backwards superstition. When Daemos attacked, drawn to the presence of the Other and the Bride, two powerful Spider-Totems, Otto engaged in combat with Daemos and killed him. That turned out to be a clone, and the Spiders were forced to split up and flee when Daemos returned with reinforcements, killing several members of Otto's team. Afterwards, Otto declared that they were at war with the Inheritors and that he was now the leader of the Spiders, no questions asked.[87]

The Peter Parker from Earth-616 challenged his authority, stating that he had been named leader due to having fought the Inheritors before. Otto mocked Peter and received a punch to the face for his arrogance. The Superior and Amazing Spider-Men fought until Otto revealed that he believed Peter to be from before his takeover, which Peter exploited by surrendering and challenging Otto to prove his superiority by killing him. Otto refused, as he believed killing Peter would jeopardize his existence, and Peter defeated him with a single blow. To Otto's surprise, Peter helped him to his feet, admitting that he would need Otto's expertise and advice for the coming battle. Accepting his role as adviser, Otto suggested the Spider-Totems move from Central Park into the city, but was opposed by Captain Universe, who stated they were safe as long as he was around. When Peter left with an away team to give a cloaking device to the injured Spider-Man Noir and gather more recruits, Otto half-jokingly challenged Spider-UK - who Peter had placed in charge until his return - to a fight for the position.[88]

After Captain Universe and Japanese Spider-Man tried their best against Inheritors' leader, Solus, but failed, the Spider-Army relocated to Earth-3145 where they found that reality's Spider-Man, Ben Parker.[89] Otto was aghast that Earth-3145's Doctor Octopus was responsible for the desolation of that world, and when Peter made a comment regarding his holographic assistant's resemblance to Anna Maria, Otto realized that Peter was from later in Earth-616's timeline and therefore that he loses everything. When Peter failed to convince Uncle Ben to wear his costume one last time, Otto berated Ben for giving up and letting his world fall to ruin, convincing the old man to suit up one more time.[90]

During the final battle against the Inheritors, Otto tried to take on Daemos, but had two of his mechanical legs ripped off. When Morlun sneered that Peter returning Benjy to Earth-982 was only prolonging the inevitable, Otto proclaimed that he had found a "superior solution" that Peter and the other Spiders were too blind and gutless to see, slitting the Master Weaver's throat to Morlun's and Peter's mutual horror. After the Inheritors were defeated, Otto overheard Miguel O'Hara state that the Web of Life and Destiny could be used to return them to their proper universes and times.[91] He proceeded to attack the Web, refusing to return to a world knowing the destiny it had in store for him, but even as the other Spiders returned to their worlds, the Spiders of Earth-616 banded together to oppose him, Peter proclaiming that Otto lost because he acknowledged that Peter was superior. With Karn agreeing to act as the Master Weaver- with the deceased Weaver apparently being his own future self- Otto was resigned to return to his home time with his memories of this battle erased, although he left instructions for "Anna" to reactivate in a hundred days.[92]

Superior Venom

After a brief fight with Agent Venom, during which Octavius discovered that Flash Thompson was behind the symbiote,[93] Flash sought Peter's help in giving him a place to stay. Octavius eventually convinced Flash to allow him to perform a procedure that would give him robotic leg implants, though during the procedure he forcefully removed the symbiote from Flash. The symbiote, feeling isolated and scared, broke out of containment and bonded to Octavius, creating a "Superior Venom".[8]

Despite claiming to be able to exert full control over a reluctant Venom symbiote, Otto became even more erratic than usual: he wounded Cardiac and fled, hoping to find a villain to physically overpower, proving his new-found might. Failing to do so, he started beating up and scaring petty criminals, until Anna Maria called him to be consoled, having been hurt over insensitive remarks Aunt May had made regarding her height. This prompted "Peter" to storm Aunt May's home, loudly berating her for her actions, then directing his anger towards MJ, guilty of having taken May's side. As soon as MJ tried to counter his anger, Otto was informed that some of the Hobgoblin's minions were robbing a bank and summoned the Venom symbiote, leaving while warning his former family to stay away from him.[94]

Superior Venom goes to war against the Avengers

After almost killing two of the robbers, Venom was confronted by the Avengers, who with the aid of Flash Thompson clad in an Iron Man Armor managed to defeat Octavius. Octavius realized that the symbiote had been eroding his control and it abruptly took over him, lashing out at Flash when he tried to convince it to return to him. Otto tried to cast the symbiote out but failed, prompting Peter Parker's consciousness to return to help him purge it before retreating back under the radar. Back as Spider-Man, Otto lied to the Avengers and Mary Jane that his behaviour in the past months was due to microscopic fragments of the symbiote slowly multiplying within him. When the Avengers talked to Tony Stark about the test they previously conducted on Spider-Man and found nothing, Stark decided to check the data further, and discovered that all of it except the one he knew about had been erased by Spider-Man. With this in mind, Captain America proclaimed that they would need to bring Spider-Man in.[95] After being confronted by the Avengers once more because of the missing medial scans, Otto escaped.[96]

31 days later, Otto is surveying the city of New York, having it come under siege by the Goblin Underground. He realizes that he had been chasing the wrong goblins all this while, and that it was the Green Goblin that was behind everything that had transpired. Back at his apartment, Otto is troubled over how the Green Goblin managed to hack into his Spider-Bots, when Anna Maria comes in, concerned about him neglecting his health and employees at Parker Industries.

During their conversation when Anna brings up the word "recognize," Otto has a brainwave, and attempts to call Uatu Jackson about his facial recognition software, only to be ignored, forcing him to visit Jackson as Spider-Man, where the two discuss about the hacking. Otto then heads underground to locate the source of the transmission, and runs straight into the Goblin King and his henchmen. To Otto's surprise, the Goblin King sends off his henchmen, and talks with Otto, revealing that he knew of his true identity all along, shocking Otto.

The Goblin King then offers Otto a partnership with the latter as his second. Enraged, Otto refuses and swears to liberate New York from his grip. Laughing, the Goblin King zaps Otto, only to realize that it was only a hologram that Otto projected of himself. The Goblin King then gives the command to destroy Spider-Island.[97]

Otto is confused why the Goblin Army managed to get past his security grid. As the Goblin King mocks him, the Living Brain shields him from a blast. Otto notes with dismay that one of his favorite Spiderlings have been killed. Ordering a strategic retreat, Otto himself flees Spider-Island on the Living Brain, and goes underwater to avoid pursuit.

Getting back to Parker Industries, Otto met Sajani, who berates him for his absence. Just then, Wraith drops in and demands answers about Carlie from Otto, when Menace interrupts and knocks out Wraith, surprising Otto with her true identity. Otto and Sajani flee inside the facility, where Otto tells Sajani to split up. Cornering Monster, Otto's kick destroys her earpiece, preventing the Green Goblin from listening in. Monster pleads with Otto to use his brains to resolve the situation before the Green Goblin's plans are realized. While all this is happening, Otto is unaware that Anna has been kidnapped by Menace.[98]

Otto, in his lab, makes a call to Mary Jane, telling her to stay safe. When Mary Jane mentions that Aunt May is stressing out, Otto tells her to deal with the situation before cutting off the conversation. He resumes his study on Monster, now restrained, in an attempt to cure her of the Goblin Serum without killing her, when suddenly, the Goblin King contacts him, telling him to put on his suit, and promises to show him interesting things. When Otto does so, the Goblin King projects images of the places he blows up one by one, including the house where Otto grew up, to the H.E.A.R.T clinic.

Otto swears to kill the Goblin King, but the latter threatens Otto with the life of Anna Maria if he does not comply with his demands of heading to Empire State University, prompting Otto to think about how Peter Parker would have resolved this crisis. He quickly swings his way to the university, where he finds the captive to be Don Lamaze. Otto dismisses this as a joke, when the Goblin King attempts to flee.

Unleashing his mechanical arms, Otto starts to attack, only to find that the Goblin King had hacked into his arms as well, causing them to strike at him instead. As the Goblin King makes his exit, Otto struggles with his arms, telling Lamaze to flee. However, when a stray arm threatens to strike at Otto's neck, Lamaze takes the fatal blow meant for Otto. With his dying breaths, Lamaze states that he helped Spider-Man as he had helped him and Anna when Stunner attacked, and in the process showed him what a true hero really was. Otto cradles Lamaze in his arms as the latter dies.

Swearing to find the Goblin King, Otto's Spider-Sense goes off, and he is confronted by the new Spider-Slayers. Jameson, projecting his voice, declares that he will kill Spider-Man, much to Otto's shock. When Otto is pinned by one of them, he is saved by the arrival of Spider-Man 2099, who deactivated them with a remote. Otto is questioned by him regarding his actions of late, but before anything can happen, the Spider-Slayers are reactivated by the Goblin King, who has hacked into their systems as well, and promptly grab both Spider-Men by the head.[99]

Superior No More and Death

The Goblin King revealed Otto he had taken Anna Maria hostage, and he promptly started looking for her. Spider-Man was deceived by Menace into going to the subway, as she made him believe Maria was there. In the subway he found himself with the decision to save a young child, revealed to be Amy Chen. Otto hesitated, as there was a chance that by saving Amy he would injure himself and fail to get back in the search for Maria. The consciousness of Peter Parker revealed his survival by pushing Otto into saving the child, as there was no time for planning but just doing what was right.

Otto entrusts the mission of saving Anna to Peter

Otto realized he had failed as a "superior" Spider-Man and decided Peter should take the control of his body back, as he could save Maria and stop the Goblin. Octavius arrived to what was left of Parker Industries and proceeded to erase his consciousness with the neurolitic scanner and let Peter Parker live fully once again, but in doing so, sacrificed himself for the girl he loved and the man he hated.[100]

Legacy

Otto's legacy lived on not only in the way his usurpation altered Peter Parker's life, but also in the form of a digital duplicate he had stored within his suit's gauntlets.[101] The duplicate would eventually go on to gain a body of its own modeled after its template's old physique through the cloning technology of New U Technologies, a pharmaceutical company used by the Jackal as a front for his operations.[102] It later transferred itself into the "Proto Clone,"[103] a hybrid body that combined its template's genetic code with that of Spider-Man,[104] and would later return as the Superior Spider-Man.[105]

Powers and Abilities

Powers

Spider Physiology: After swapping bodies with Spider-Man, Otto in Peter's body possesses the proportionate powers of a spider. The radioactive, complex mutagenic enzymes in the spider's blood that were transferred at the time of the bite triggered numerous body-wide mutagenic changes within Parker, granting him superhuman strength, speed, toughened flesh, and numerous arachnid-like abilities.[75] His powers include:

Wall-Crawling: Spider-Man's exposure to the mutated spider venom induced a mutagenic, cerebellum-wide alteration of his engrams resulting in the ability to mentally control the flux of inter-molecular attraction between atomic boundary layers. This overcomes the outer electron shell's normal behavior of mutual repulsion with other outer electron shells and permits the tremendous potential for electron attraction to prevail. The mentally controlled sub-atomic particle responsible for this has yet to be identified. This ability to affect the attraction between surfaces is so far limited to Spider-Man's body (especially concentrated in his hands and feet) and another object, with an upper limit of several tons per finger.[citation needed]

Superhuman Speed: Spider-Man is capable of running and moving at speeds that are far beyond the natural physical limits of the finest human athlete.[106] Spider-Man has showed to be fast enough to catch up to an accelerating car while on foot, but prefers to travel by webs.[107]

Superhuman Stamina: Spider-Man's advanced musculature produces less fatigue toxins during physical activity than an ordinary human. This allows him to exert himself physically for much longer periods of time before fatigue begins to impair him. At his peak, Spider-Man can physically exert himself at his peak capacity for several hours before the build up of fatigue toxins in his blood begins to impair him.[106]

Superhuman Durability: Spider-Man's body is physically tougher and more resistant to some types of injury than the body of a normal human. His body is more resistant to impact forces than anything else. He can withstand great impacts, such as falling from a height of several stories or being struck by an opponent with super strength, that would severely injure or kill a normal human with little to no discomfort.[75]

Superhuman Agility: Spider-Man's agility, balance, and bodily coordination are all enhanced to levels that are far beyond the natural physical limits of the finest human athlete. Spider-Man is extraordinarily limber and his tendons and connective tissues are twice as elastic as the average human being's, despite their enhanced strength. He has far beyond the agility and acrobatic prowess of the most accomplished circus aerialists and acrobats. With his agility, alone, he can dodge bullets only inches away from hitting him.[78]

Superhuman Equilibrium: Spider-Man possesses the ability to achieve a state of perfect equilibrium in any position imaginable. He seems able to adjust his position by instinct, which enables him to balance himself on virtually any object, no matter how small or narrow.[5]

Superhuman Reflexes: Spider-Man's reflexes are similarly enhanced and are currently about 40 times greater than those of an ordinary human. In combination with his spider-sense, the speed of his reflexes allows him to dodge almost any attack, or even gunfire,[108] if he is far enough away.

Regenerative Healing Factor: Spider-Man has a limited healing factor. While not on Wolverine's level, it is sufficiently powerful enough to recover from severe injuries from broken bones and large amounts of tissue damage in a matter of days.[106]

Contaminant Immunity: Due to his accelerated metabolism, Spider-Man has a higher tolerance for drugs and diseases than normal humans, and he can recover from the effects of larger doses rapidly. However, Spider-Man has the normal human tolerance for alcoholic beverages.[109]

Spider-Sense: Spider-Man possesses an extrasensory "danger" or "spider" sense which warns him of potential immediate danger by the manifestation of a tingling sensation in the back of his skull, and links with his superhuman kinesthetics, enabling him to evade most any injuries, unless he cognitively overrides his automatic reflexes. The precise nature of this sense is unknown. It appears to be a simultaneous clairvoyant response to a wide variety of phenomena (everything from falling safes to speeding bullets to thrown punches), which has given several hundredths of a second warning, which is sufficient time for his reflexes to allow him to avoid injury. The sense also can create a general response on the order of several minutes: he cannot discern the nature of the threat by the sensation. He can, however, discern the severity of the danger by the strength of his response to it. Spider-Man's spider-sense is directional and can guide him to or away from hidden weapons and enemies.Sudden and extreme threats can cause his spider-sense to react with painful intensity. Spider-Man can also sense and dodge attacks directed randomly or by an artificial intelligence. Using his spider-sense to time his enhanced reflexes, Spider-Man can casually dodge attacks up to and including automatic-weapons fire, provided there is sufficient distance. His spider-sense is sufficiently well-linked to his reflexes to the point that a threat can trigger them even when Spider-Man is asleep or stunned. His spider-sense has helped him preserve his secret identity since it alerts him to observers or cameras when changing into or out of his costume. The spider-sense does react to those who Peter does not consider to be a threat, such as Aunt May.

Radio Frequency Detection: His spider-sense also enables him to track certain radio frequencies, which he has used to his advantage via his Spider-Bots.[75]

Former Powers

Doctor Octopus' tentacles

Cybernetic Tentacles: Doctor Octopus' superhuman abilities derive from the four mentally-controlled, electronically-powered, telescoping, prehensile titanium-steel tentacles attached to a stainless steel harness encircling his body from lower chest to waist. Each tentacle, approximately five inches in diameter, terminates in three single-jointed pincers. The pincers are able to rotate in relation to the arm for 360 degrees, in a screwdriver-like twisting motion. Each tentacle segment contains four high-efficiency electric motors equipped with a clutched, helical-gear train, independently mounted on frictionless gimbals and housed in four thin, overlapping layers of titanium-niobium steel. The titanium-steel alloy is light, has high-tensile strength, a high melting point, and high thin-wall rigidity. The motors get their power from a small nuclear-powered thermo-electric generator, which can provide several hundred watts per hour for up to five years before needing to replace its U-239 core. The tentacles have been modified since the time of the original accident to include high-efficiency battery packs (enabling movement when cut off from the central power source) and individual micro-circuit control modules (enabling each arm to perform certain pre-programmed actions when Octopus loses conscious control). In the event that Octopus loses consciousness, the control module of each arm has enough pre-programmed conditional responses in its memory chip to enable it to perform a relatively complex sequence of actions, such as saving his life. The trauma of his arm or arms being separated from the harness causes a period of disorientation in which his arms flail about uncontrollably until the pre-programming takes over.[citation needed]

Technopathic Tentacle Manipulation: Octopus can control the actions of his artificial arms psionically, even when they have been severed from his body and are separated from him by vast distances (a distance of 900 miles has been recorded).[citation needed]

Telescoping: Each tentacle is approximately six feet long at full contraction, but can extend to a maximum of 24 feet in length.[citation needed]

Superhuman Striking Force: Each tentacle is capable of moving at a speed of ninety feet per second and strike with the force of a jackhammer.[citation needed]

High-Wind Generation: The tentacles can generate 50 mile per hour winds if spun like a giant fan.[citation needed]

Wall-Climbing and Traveling: By combining the intrinsic strength of both his tentacles and the pincers, Doctor Octopus can scale stone, brick, or concrete walls by rending "handholds" in the surface of the wall. Octopus is able to use his tentacles for traversing horizontal distances as well. At full extension, he can travel high above the ground as if on stilts, either using two tentacles, or for maximum speed (approximately 50 miles per hour), four tentacles.[citation needed]

Sensation Feeling: Although there are no nerve endings throughout the length of his artificial arms, Octopus can "feel" basic sensations with them. As a result of the mutagenic changes from exposure to radiation during the accident, electrical connections have been made from his chest harness to his spine. Thus, Doctor Octopus can mentally perceive "tactile" sensations by feeling the amount of electrical resistance that the pincer's electric motors feel when the pincers grasp an object.[citation needed]

Superhuman Concentration: Doctor Octopus possesses extraordinary mental abilities and concentration, and through years of practice is able to perform two complex and two simple independent actions, simultaneously, one with each arm.[citation needed]

Superior Venom

Black Symbiotic Costume: While temporarily bonded to it, the symbiote granted Octavius the following powers:

Superhuman Strength

Superhuman Stamina

Superhuman Durability

Superhuman Speed, Agility, and Reflexes

Accelerated Healing Factor

Camouflage Capabilities

Constituent-Matter Generation

Constituent-Matter Manipulation

Abilities

Genius Intelligence: Otto Octavius is a multi-discipline scientist with expertise in various fields of science.[7]

Radiation Specialist: Doctor Octopus is one of the world's leading authorities on nuclear radiation and its effect on animal physiology.[17]

Engineering: Doctor Octopus is a brilliant engineer and inventor. Due to his own ability and more recently due to having Peter's memories.[17]

Strength level

Otto was capable of lifting approximately 10 tons in Peter's body.[110]

Former Strength level

Without the use of his artificial tentacles, Otto possessed the normal human strength of a man of his age, height, and build who engages in no regular exercise. Each of his tentacles is able to lift approximately 8 tons (provided that Octopus supports his harness with at least one other arm in order to prevent the chest harness/skin interface from bearing any part of the effort). With one arm, Octopus could lift an automobile. With two arms, he could throw an automobile tens of feet, or lift a small bus. The pincers on his arms are capable of gripping with a force of 175 pounds per square inch, sufficient to deform any object made of a thin-walled substance less durable than steel. The pincers can, for instance, crush a handgun. By combining the intrinsic strength of both his tentacles and the pincers, Doctor Octopus could perform such feats as tearing steel doors off bank vaults.[citation needed]

Weaknesses

Unlike many superheroes, Spider-Man does not have a weakness that he is automatically vulnerable to, but in recent years methods have been created to render him vulnerable.

Spider-Sense Disruption: Spider-Man's Spider Sense can lose its effectiveness if it is blocked or temporarily weakened by specialized equipment or certain drugs. It also would not trigger if it detects something that is not registered as a threat like the Spider-Man clones or the Venom Symbiote and its offspring and Anti-Venom. When deprived of his spider-sense, Spider-Man becomes vulnerable to surveillance and attack, and web-slinging requires most of his concentration.[111]

Ethyl Chloride: Perhaps as a side effect of gaining his powers, Spider-Man is susceptible to the pesticide ethyl chloride. This chemical is frequently used as a weapon by the Spider-Slayers.[112]

Arrogance: Not a noticeable weakness but despite Otto being Spider-Man, he is also still arrogant and prideful, seeing the world differently than most heroes. This also makes him at wits with other heroes, mostly the Avengers.[80]

Former Weaknesses

Sonic and Heat: While bonded to the Venom symbiote, Otto gained its powers, but also its extreme vulnerability to heat and sonic based attacks.[citation needed] They can cause the symbiote physical pain and discomfort, where as "more powerful" attacks might be completely ineffective.[citation needed]

Paraphernalia

Equipment

Spider-Man's Webs

Web-Shooters: Parker's brilliance at physical science allowed him to create web-shooters for use when he became Spider-Man.[113] The twin devices worn on his wrists are able to shoot thin strands of a special "web fluid" at high pressure. The web fluid was modified in Octavius' possession, allowing it to be stronger and last longer, something Peter found out the hard way when he was forced to make web underwear and ended up having his pants glued to it.[114]

Web Fluid: A shear-thinning liquid, virtually solid until a shearing force is applied to it, rendering it fluid, whose exact formula remains unknown, but is rumored to be related to nylon. The web line’s tensile strength is estimated to be 120 pounds per square millimeter of cross section.[citation needed]

Talons: Octavius had added retractable sharp talons on his hands and feet, which he uses in combat against his enemies. The talons can also be used to inject nano-spider-tracers with GPS and listening device.[citation needed]

Superior Spider-Man's Suit: An updated version of the original Spider-Man costume that features sharp talons on the hands and feet, as well as enhanced lenses in the mask with HUD and tracking abilities.The talon gloves feature retractable talons on his finger-tips and toe tips which can be used for clawing and climbing. After making new ones, Otto can activate the talons faster.[citation needed]

Former Equipment

Spider-Bots: Spider based versions of Octavius' Octobots used for gathering information across New York City. When Otto was possessed by the Venom symbiote, people were outraged with Otto's fight with the Avengers and began smashing his spider-bots to pieces.

Transportation

Web-Slinging: Spider-Man's main form of transportation is "web swinging" with the aid of his spider-webs.[citation needed]

Arachnaughts: Larger versions of his Spider-Bots used for mobility and combat. They were destroyed during the Goblin War.

Weapons

Former Weapons

Even Iron Man falls to the power of Doctor Octopus!

Doctor Octopus' Tentacles: Dr. Octopus has possessed a total of three different harnesses during his career: the original titanium harness, a more powerful Adamantium harness, and the current harness, which was modified in 2004 to resemble the version seen in the movie Spider-Man 2. The original and Adamantium harnesses were both destroyed in the Lethal Foes of Spider-Man miniseries. The current harness has eight tentacles as opposed to four.

Original Harness: With his titanium harness, Doc Ock was able to beat Daredevil, a seasoned combatant with superhuman senses, almost to death out of sheer power.[115] It was also temporarily worn by Spider-Man after Octavius' death, until the Hobgoblin caused it to short-circuit via pumpkin bomb. Spider-Man than proceeded to rip them apart when he lost control.

Adamantium Harness: Using Adamantium, Octavius created an entirely new indestructible harness, with all of the abilities he had before but with exponentially higher durability. Using this harness he was able to best Iron Man in combat, tearing the hero's armor apart with a defeat so harsh that Tony Stark began to doubt his abilities almost enough to resort back to alcoholism.[116] He knocked the Hulk unconscious[117] and, by Spider-Man's own reckoning, was "holding his own" against the combined forces of himself, the Hulk, the Fantastic Four, Deathlok, Ghost Rider, and Solo, even after the rest of the Sinister Six were defeated or fled.[118]

Notes

Doctor Octopus was #96 in the Series A Marvel Value Stamps, released in the 1970s.

Marvel Value Stamp #96

Otto's phone number is 800-555-7739 and he advertises it as 1-800-555-SPDY.[119]

At one point, a boy named Oliver Osnick ran away from home, having stolen his father's Octopus-like equipment. He intended to become Doctor Octopus' sidekick, which was to be very much ill-fated. After a brief skirmish with Spider-Man, Osnick was returned home, without his tentacles.

After hearing a recording of himself in his prime, Otto stated that he sounded like an underwater walrus (It is notable to state that he was in Spider-Man's body at the time of him listening to the recording).[74]

While Spider-Man revealed that the "Superior Spider-Man" was really Doctor Octopus on live television, no one believed him.[123]

Trivia

The DC Comics super-villain Gorgon is based on Doctor Octopus; a morbidly obese man with prosthetic hands and a number of coil-like tentacles growing out of his head, Gorgon is a member of the Extremists,a team of villains from a parallel world all based on popular Marvel Comics villains.

Another Dr. Octopus homage outside of Marvel Comics is The Octopus, a criminal “super-freak” in Erik Larsen’s Savage Dragon series. His real name Dr. Wipple, the Octopus is a criminal scientist with the beak of an octopus and four massive tentacles growing out of his torso. More mild-mannered than his inspiration, he is often seen in the series doing scientific work alongside fellow criminal scientist, Openface.